The humble potato is one of the most versatile vegetables. It can be adapted to any dish, from curries to fries and chaat to soups. Potatoes can enhance the taste of any dish. Potatoes are also, interestingly, used to make rasam, a spicy, soupy South Indian side dish. It is called Batate Thoy, which is a traditional Konkani dish.
Prepared With Only A Few Ingredients
Potato Rasam brings together only a few ingredients, which are easily available. The dish is truly unique as it is delicious without any kind of spicing up, not even turmeric is used. The dish is made with boiled and mashed potatoes, with lentils such as toor dal, flavoured with green chilies, and tempered with dry red chilis, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of hing. This mildly spicy and smooth soupy dish can be either served as a side dish in an elaborate meal or can be eaten as a light meal, with rice or roti.
Not Too Spicy
Potato Rasam, in comparison to most other kinds of rasam, is not as spicy. But in some preparations of Potato Rasam, which is not typical to the traditional Konkani version, tamarind, garlic, and cumin, and other kinds of spices are also used.
Rasam Origins
Rasam is said to have originated in South India and the name is said to have been derived from the Tamil word, 'irasam', as well as the Sanskrit word 'rasa', both of which have the same meaning, i.e. to extract. Rasam is a spicy soupy accompaniment in elaborate meals, which is usually made with a tamarind base, but there are different varieties of rasam, from pepper rasam to lime rasam.
Rasam is also known as by different names, such as saaru, saathamudhu, chaaru, chaatambde etc. It is often paired with steamed rice, and enjoyed as a simple meal.
Here is a recipe for Potato Rasam that is made with water:
Ingredients:
• 1 potato
• 2-3 green chilis
• 1/2 a teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chilis
• Pinch of hing or asafoetida
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Refined oil
• Salt
Method
• Cut the potato in half and boil it. After it is boiled, mash it with either your hand or with a ladle, but ensure that few lumps remain
• To the mashed potatoes, add two green chilis, one teaspoon salt, two cups of water, and mix and cook over flame. The mixture should boil for about 4-5 minutes
• In a pan, heat two teaspoons of oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilis, a pinch of hing, and saute all together till the mustard seeds splutter
• Temper the potato rasam with the above, and mix well
• Serve potato rasam hot in a bowl
Potato Rasam can be served as a side dish in a meal or it can be savoured by itself as a soup. For those who stay alone and have hectic schedules, Potato Rasam is an easy dish that can be quickly rustled up.